1) Whenever a player is going through rehab and workouts to get back the teams are generous with compliments, to encourage the steps.

2) Knicks GM Steve Mills is not exactly the power broker in the Knicks front office. Nice title but he’s not the guy making the call.

That said, after the Derek Fisher introductory press conference broke up, Mills was interviewed on a variety of topics and was asked about Lamar Odom, who is supposed to be working out with the Knicks this summer and getting back in basketball shape. Odom is technically under contract for next season with the Knicks but that is not a guaranteed deal.

Mills said he liked the track Odom was on and expected him to be part of the Knicks team next season.

We’ll see. Odom has a lot of personal things to get over to get his head right enough to get back in the league. If he can do that, can he get a body that will turn 35 early next season into a condition well enough to play in the NBA again?

Here is what Jackson said about Odom a few weeks back when asked:

“We know he’s a really good basketball player. If he wants to put himself back together in a basketball life, he’s got a chance to do this by having a whole summer to work at it and get himself back in basketball condition so he can play. He’s told me that’s what he wanted to do. Having a relationship with him, I figure this is a pretty good risk/reward situation for us.”

The Knicks could use a guy like Odom, at least the old Odom. First off, his point forward skills are difficult to find in this league. Second, the Knicks could use guys that know the triangle offense because that is what Fisher suggested he would run, and it’s an offense that takes a while to really grasp because it is read and react, not traditional set plays. Tom Thibodeau brought Brian Scalabrine over from Boston to Chicago as a player, not because Scalabrine was phenomenal at his defensive schemes, but he understood them and could almost serve as a second coach when teaching the system. Odom could serve that kind of role.

First time President, GM with little to no accomplishment and a guy who’s never coached a game in his life. Now we have Lamar as the missing piece to bring it all together. What could possibly go wrong. Hoops in the big Apple will once again be rotten.